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This seems always interesting to people when I tell them the true meaning of the word 'camaro'.....but how many camaro owners know what the word actually means....just a fun thread. No cheating by looking it up....just what's in your head. Course someone might answer first post with correct answer...but nobody in person every seems to know....
What's your answer??

okay, that is true, but the general manage at the time the new car made a press release, I think his name is pete estes, anyway, he said what it stood for....although true that is a french translation....here is his quote for the friend part "(camaro)suggests the comradeship of good friends as a personal car should be to its owner"
But there is still another meaning....the actuall definition.
Hint:something to do with ford

Actually, you're all wrong. The word Camaro doesn't mean anything. That's why nobody can locate the real word. It was made up of slang terms in an old French dictionary that meant "Chum" or "Companion" or Comrade. There is no word in any language, other than GM speak, that is Camaro. Panther was the original name given to the car during development. It was later changed to a word that started with a "C", as we've already been informed of. Because of the name panther, it sounded good to say a vicious animal that eats mustangs when that was the market they were going after. There is no real animal called a camaro, and it doesn't mean shrimp in Spanish either. The spanish word for shrimp is camarón.

Actually, you're all wrong. The word Camaro doesn't mean anything. That's why nobody can locate the real word. It was made up of slang terms in an old French dictionary that meant "Chum" or "Companion" or Comrade. There is no word in any language, other than GM speak, that is Camaro. Panther was the original name given to the car during development. It was later changed to a word that started with a "C", as we've already been informed of. Because of the name panther, it sounded good to say a vicious animal that eats mustangs when that was the market they were going after. There is no real animal called a camaro, and it doesn't mean shrimp in Spanish either. The spanish word for shrimp is camarón.

That is the "real" answer. Nobody seems to want to believe that but it is true.

That is the "real" answer. Nobody seems to want to believe that but it is true.

The following is from The Story of Camaro: "Finally, in its September 1966 issue, Motor Trend revealed the true name of the car. 'Chevy's Panther to be called Camaro', read the headline.

"The short item said the new name maintained Chevrolet's tradition of naming car models with a "C." According to Estes, the name Camaro meant "comrade" or "pal" in French, but Motor Trend pointed out, 'Our French friends have never heard of the word. Could it be possible that Chevy is not only pulling words out of the air, but our legs as well?'

JamesC

__________________ "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, / Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Hamlet

"Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies." Nietzsche

Actually, you're all wrong. The word Camaro doesn't mean anything. That's why nobody can locate the real word. It was made up of slang terms in an old French dictionary that meant "Chum" or "Companion" or Comrade. There is no word in any language, other than GM speak, that is Camaro. Panther was the original name given to the car during development. It was later changed to a word that started with a "C", as we've already been informed of. Because of the name panther, it sounded good to say a vicious animal that eats mustangs when that was the market they were going after. There is no real animal called a camaro, and it doesn't mean shrimp in Spanish either. The spanish word for shrimp is camarón.

This seems always interesting to people when I tell them the true meaning of the word 'camaro'.....but how many camaro owners know what the word actually means....just a fun thread. No cheating by looking it up....just what's in your head. Course someone might answer first post with correct answer...but nobody in person every seems to know....
What's your answer??

As for the Camaro, I believe it was a combination of two words. The first half from the Comrade or the French "camarade" The last half would be from AERO which means more or less "of the air." They then made the word "Camaro"... Keep in mind that this is simply speculation. As mentioned in the WIKI article they were originally going to call it the Panther but Mercury had the Cougar, they felt that there may be a bit of public confusion. They went back and decided that the name had to start with a C and started flipping through the Dictionary looking for a good "C" name.

When asked what it meant, I suspect it was an off the cuff joke, much like SEPAW. Keep in mind that GM seemed to have a sense of humor back when it was successful and not run by bean counters but engeneers that had a sense of humor. Remember the GTO Judge, as an example, was a joke that came from the show "Laugh In" back in the late 60's There was a part of the show where they would chant "Here comes the Judge!, Here comes the Judge!, Here comes the Judge!"

You obviously read that in some type of GM literature/brochure/magazine and SERIOUSLY misinterpreted it. It's a marketing cry, completely meaningless. There is no such animal.

(BTW - viscous?!?!?!)

I said meaning behind the word....not translation....guess I wasn't really clear on that.

oh no, a spelling word error....

this was just supposed to be fun......love how something harmless always turns people into jerks.
this web site used to be fun.....now it just full of people who would rather bash, than help or correct....Hey mr.know it all....nice......so I was not correct,.......WHO CARES....ITS CALLED FOR FUN.....get over it.

Are you the same guy the posted on another thread when I asked about doing a manual swap out ....and I said NO t-56's ....and you told me I was an idiot for not using one???

Last edited by scottmoyer; 08-18-2009 at 06:10 PM.
Reason: How long did it take you to figure out a spelling to bypass the filters??

since the camaro came out it does have a meaning- a badass car that is the arch rival of the ford mustang, known for its distinctive styling such as the unique spoiler, t-tops, stance and mean looking front facia. Also known to come equipped with powerfull engines for killing mustangs right out of the box. =]

I have watched a lot of shows about collector cars and muscle cars, and when the subject of what "Camaro" means comes up, they (the experts?) always say it's just a made up name. I don't know for sure, but I don't think it has anything to do with Italian shrimp, Mustang horse diseases, or viscous animals. I can only recall one Chevy model with an animal name, the Impala. For a while in the 1950's and 60's they seem to name all their cars after locations, mainly in California : Bel Air, Biscayne, El Camino, Malibu.

I agree that those are probably the original meanings, mostly from the 1920s and 30s. But
I will point out those definitions have drifted a bit with time. At least in the 1980's, 2 door cars with or without rear seat were often referred to as coupes, even by the manufacturers. I own a 1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. It has the word "Coupe" embossed in the side molding and on the trunk badge, and it defiantly has a rear seat. Depending on where you look, it is referred to as a 2 door coupe or a 2 door sedan in the manufactures literature. I haven't look closely at GM ads or brochures from the time, but I would expect you would see the use of both terms in relation to the 3rd gens.
The term "hardtop" also some blurred or multiple uses. If you go to a car show that has some tri-year (1955, 56, 57) Chevys, be sure not to call a 210 Bel Air a "hardtop". For the tri-year guys, hardtop refers exclusively to ether 2 or 4 door sedans with no B pillar. Hardtop also refers to solid but removable roofs on many sport cars, like the Corvette.

I like the term "coupe" for sporty 2 doors cars like the Camaro and Firebird and often use it. But strictly speaking, going by the original usage, the are 2 door sedans.